On Your Side
by rain stops goodbye
Summary: Friends who both share a painful past sought out to start anew. They ended up in a place where there are two towns and they chose opposing sides. Now, they are rivals. And so it begins...
1. Chapter 1: Beginning

A/N: Hi! This is my first ever story posted on this site , so yeah, I hope you guys forgive my errors, also be a pal and point them out to me so that I may correct them! The main mechanics are mostly based on the game (such as the festivals, characters, and the like). But I'll change a few things. Please read and review if you want. Anyway, ON WITH THE STORY!

Enjoy

Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon.

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><p>CHAPTER 1: Beginning<p>

"_Welcome to a mountain of lush green forests and wildlife._

_Nestled at the foot of the mountain on each side are two distinctive villages._

_Those with dreams of owning a farm can come here to make those dreams real!"_

"Hey, slow down!" The young man yelled, looking up from the brochure he was reading. His ginger-like hair was slightly dishelved due to the wind that whipped around his face as he held the reins of his trusty white steed, his azure eyes showing slight annoyance. He was moving in a fairly moderate pace, while his companion…

"Haha, no can do! The wind feels sooo nice! If we follow your pace, we'll get there tomorrow!" The girl yelled back at him, her violet eyes twinkling with amusement. She whipped her head around to laugh as her companion frowned at her, "Fine, fine. I get it."

She halted her brown horse and waited for him to catch up.

It was late in the afternoon already.

"I want to get there as soon as possible, too. But you have to be more careful. We are at a mountain right now; we could get hurt if we're careless." He scolded the female.

"Yeah, ok. Sorry…" She bowed her head slightly in apology, her long auburn hair spilling around her face and shoulders.

"Let's get going. It'll be dark soon." He took the lead.

"Those clouds look bad, too." The lass added.

They continued to ride along in peace increasing their speed, wary of the dark clouds looming above them. The atmosphere was quiet, only the sound of hooves hitting the ground sounded until someone broke the silence.

"Hey, what kind of place do you think it is?" The cheerful voice chirped.

"There are two towns, you know." He replied smoothly.

"Umm, you're the one reading all the brochures. What are the two towns like?"

"I don't know. Nothing much is given about them. This area is kind of isolated. Heh, like it matters. We'll know when we get there." He shrugged it off.

"For someone who claims to hate being unprepared, you sure are relaxed." She mumbled while looking up at the sky with concerned eyes. They had no umbrellas, tents or anything in case it rained 'cause apparently, her companion saw no reason why they should since the trip would only take about half a day and the weather report said it would be sunny. But the sky above seemed about to contradict that notion.

"I think we should rush a bit. I smell a storm brewing." She looked at him.

"I think you're right," He agreed, picking up the pace, "But make sure to stay close."

"Aye, cap'n!" She giggled at his seriousness, even if he did have every reason to be.

The young man just rolled his eyes at her.

"Ooh, don't be such a grouch. You're the one who said that being too serious will make you uglier. Although I bet you can't get any uglier than you already are." She smiled.

"Don't blame me if all our stuff gets wet because of your antics."

"How would my 'antics' cause our belongings to get wet? I'm just trying to make you laugh! You haven't cracked one smile since our journey began." She huffed.

"…"

"Is it because of..?" She trailed off, glancing at him with concern in her eyes.

"Yeah, but I'll be alright. Your joke kind of makes me feel a little better. But just don't go overboard, 'kay? My head already hurts." He replied simply, looking ahead with dazed eyes.

They kept a steady but fast speed, heading down the path towards the foot of the mountain. The young man was a little ahead of his female companion. They kept going for what seemed to be an eternity. The sun had set a long time ago and they both came to the conclusion that they were not arriving until tomorrow.

'_Well, that's what we get for leaving late in the afternoon. At least it isn't raining'_ the girl sighed. Thinking whether they should rest for the night, but she worried about the fact that they had none of the paraphernalia needed. The duo stayed quiet, wrapped in their own thoughts before they felt water droplets falling.

The pair looked at each other, one looked rather worried while the other looked purely amused and started to laugh. The young lad raised his brow at her. Nothing was amusing about their current situation. No town in sight, no umbrella, no shelter. Their stuff would get wet along with their steeds. Not to mention about the possibility of them becoming ill if they were to get soaked. The season was still rather chilly. Winter had just ended and Spring was just beginning to bloom into life.

"Oh, come on! I told you it wouldn't kill us to bring an umbrella or something. But, no, you just had to be all convincing and say that it would be pointless since it was sunny the whole morning and only a short trip!" She laughed harder. Then he remembered; his companion LOVED the rain. In fact, he did, too. Just not in these types of circumstances.

"Let's look for some shelter before we get soaked and become sick, you idiot!" He pulled his horse along and began to search for any possible shelter from the now pouring rain.

He spotted a stone bridge with enough room for shelter. He started heading into its general direction.

"Hey, I found one! Come on before the rain gets any stron-"He was cut off when something whooshed passed him. He whipped his head and gasped.

"You idiot! What the heck are you doing!" He shouted furiously. This was seriously dangerous. Raining hard with no shelter, it was dark and darn near impossible to see anything.

The girl paid him no heed and just pushed her horse to go faster.

The young man muttered something under his breath and whipped his horse around to follow the lady.

Hair wet and sticking onto his face while his clothes clung to his body, coldness seeping in, chilling his very bones, he pushed on, solely focusing on the rushing figure that was drawing nearer and nearer as he closed in.

Faster.

Nearer.

Her dark figure came into reaching distance.

He began to reach for her when a scream rang in his ears.

"AHHHH!"

It all happened so quickly.

One moment he was just about to reach her, then the next thing he knew her horse suddenly changed direction and the girl was flung into the air.

He reacted swiftly and then darkness took over his vision.

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><p>"Hey, are you alright?"A voice asked, the sound stirring the unconscious lad. Then, he felt a firm hand lightly shaking his shoulders. With barely enough energy to open both eyes, he settled with cracking one open, groaning.<p>

The sun shone down at him. He lifted an arm to provide a shield from its bright light.

"Thank goddess you're alright." The youth slowly turned his head to see the source of that poised and refined, though clearly aged, voice.

He was met with a kindly face of an old man whose blue eyes looked concerned. His forehead wrinkled as his quite sparse blonde hair posed on the side on his head. A mini top hat sat on his bald spot.

"W-what? Where? How…?" The young man mumbled in confusion.

"I was quite worried, I'll have you know, finding a young man in the middle of the forest unconscious! I feared you would never wake up…The hospital is far from here, too…" The old man replied with a frown. "But it's alright now! You're alive and well! Pray tell, just how did you end up in this situation?"

The youth stared at him blankly before a flash of memory hit him.

The storm.

The frantic search for shelter.

The figure that whizzed pass him.

Rushing.

Yelling.

Darkness.

THAT IDIOT!

He shot up straight with a shocked face and began to frantically scan the area for his friend.

The senior flinched back at his sudden movements, his classy starch suit wrinkling.

"What is it, my boy?" He asked the shocked lad.

The youth spotted something beside him. It was his female companion's jacket! But where's the owner?

"Did you see anyone else?" His voice sounded hoarse. He cleared his throat before carrying on.

"Did you see a girl? My age, long brown hair, violet eyes?" The person he questioned merely shook his head. "She's my companion. We were riding along the mountain when a storm hit us. She was going really fast when her horse suddenly changed course. She was catapulted into the air! I grabbed her hand to save her…then…nothing…" He finished with furrowed brows after explaining what had happened quickly.

It was true. He remembered nothing after grabbing her hand.

"I'm very sorry, but I haven't seen anyone other than you. Why don't we head into town for you to rest? I'll recruit some people to conduct a search party and then—"

"Please hurry! He needs help!" The lad heard a familiar voice frantically yelling. The voice sounded near.

The boy whipped his head around. Running at top speed towards him was the very girl he was looking for.

She crashed into him and he was quickly engulfed in a tight hug.

"You're awake! Thank heavens! I was so worried! Even if we do argue often, I would feel bad if anything happened to you! " She said in relief.

He hugged her back for a moment before pulling away. Holding her by the shoulders, he inspected her body, searching for any injuries, before smacking her lightly on the head.

"OW!"Was her reaction. Well, at least he thought it was a soft hit, "What'd you hit me for?"

"You hopeless moron! When I woke up, I was shocked to find you nowhere in sight! I seriously thought you fell into the river and drowned or hit your head and was bleeding to death somewhere!" He said furiously.

"You were worried about me? Aw, thanks. But I'm perfectly fine, haha." She giggled. This girl! He raised one brow and was about to say a reprimand when an unfamiliar voice spoke. A figure appeared behind the girl.

"You shouldn't run so quickly. What if YOU got hurt?" The voice huffed. The voice belonged to a sharp looking woman. She had dark eyes and hair. She wore an oriental looking outfit consisting mostly of the color red."So where is this friend of yours in need of dire help?" She added.

"It's alright now! He's alright." The young lass responded.

This got her a relieved sigh from the sharp looking lady."Well, that's good. From the way you suddenly grabbed me and ran yelling that you needed help, I thought someone had died!" She shook her head, "Here I was posting requests on the board when a young girl suddenly arrived looking like she rolled down a hill frantically screaming that she needed someone to help her friend and then-YOU!" The lady suddenly raised her voice, pointing at the old man.

"What, is he your granpa or something?" The young man inquired. Looking back and forth from the lady and the old man. There was absolutely no resemblance.

"Far from it! I would never be related to her!" This time it was the old man who responded.

"I would never want to be related to you either!" The sharp lady retorted.

The two young people looked at each other. Those two were fighting. It wasn't intense but things could get worse. The two older people looked like they purely detested each other.

"Sooo, where are we?" The young female asked loudly, catching the attention of the bickering pair.

"Oh well, we are currently at the top of the mountain." The old man replied.

"Yes, that's right. The very mountain which separates two towns, Bluebell and Konohana." The lady added.

"Bluebell and Konohana, huh? I was reading a travel guide that had a brochure of the mountain and its two towns. Not much info was written down. So we were kinda having a hard time. We both came here because we read about farms, dreams and whatever." The young man inserted nonchalantly. His companion elbowed him before adding, "We want to be farmers! We both got tired of city life, so you know, we were hoping for a fresh start!"

"Is that so? Well, you've come to the right place. There's no other place better for starting anew! Oh my, where are my manners? I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Rutger. I'm the mayor of the lovely town of Bluebell! My Bluebell has a farm, there's no other place better at farming. Brick and stone houses with beautiful colors, flowers blooming everywhere and an atmosphere of tranquility. When we talk about farming, it means livestock! And Bluebell reigns at raising livestock! The shiny coats of the cows, the soft wool of a sheep, the fresh milk and eggs, why Bluebell has it all. No other place could be better to live in!" Rutger finished with pride.

"Farming means livestock? Don't talk nonsense!" The sharp lady said incredulously. She placed a hand on her forehead and explained with a sigh, "Sorry about that. I just don't want you two to make a mistake. I'm Ina, the mayor of Konohana. When you speak of farming, it equals to crops! And when it comes to crops, Konohana is tops! The taste of fresh vegetables harvested from one's own land can't be beaten, fruit trees growing high and mighty with fruits so delectable that your mouths will water by just looking at them! Plus, the town has uniqueness in style and coziness you can't find anywhere else! Konohana is the place to be!" Ina ended with a bright smile.

"They both sound wonderful to live in!" The female youth exclaimed with a smile.

"You think any place is good to live in. But yeah, they both seem like swell places to live." Her friend agreed.

"So have you both decided where to live?" Ina asked, eyeing the two.

Well...

"Actually, we need to talk about it first. Come on!" The young man stated, dragging his friend along to a corner. "Now what?" He asked her.

"Well, seems like we get to pick! Honestly, I like both places and didn't we agree that we'd run the farm together? Like a team like how we always do things since-"

"That incident? Yeah, I guess so..." He cut in with a serious tone.

"And both towns seem great, right? We can just pick the one we like the best. Honestly, I think Bluebell is a nice choice; cute and fluffy animals sound like music to my ears. And besides, didn't he hold a soft spot for cute animals?" The young lady added, careful with her choice of words.

She received nothing but silence from her companion.

She proceeded with slight hesitation, " Uh, although if you think about it, Konohana looks like a great town, too. You and your family's a big fan of oriental culture and stuff, right? At least you seem to be..." She trailed off.

She looked at his face.

He was looking at the ground, his bangs obscuring his eyes.

This time, with a cheerful tug to her voice, the lass tried again, "So! I think any place is fine. After all, we came here to-"

"We came here to start again, didn't we? Talking about the past certainly doesn't help." He cut in, sounding a bit angry. He clenched his fists. He didn't want to hear any more.

She didn't give up. "Well, we have to talk about it someday, right? Otherwise, we'd just be running way!"

"Earth to birdbrain; we ARE running away!" He said, knocking on her head. He was taking it out on her. He knew it wasn't very mature of him, but still! She really is too much of a blabber mouth. He usually doesn't mind, but the words that poured out of her mouth struck a nerve in him.

"We are not! Just 'cause we're starting anew doesn't mean we're running away!" She shouted at him.

He cringed. She can be really loud sometimes. He resisted the urge to cover his ears with his hands; that would only infuriate her even more, which would result to her raising her voice even more.

"It does so." He replied, his voice lacking the anger he was originally aiming for, a calm tone replacing it instead. The heat of his anger had already cooled.

She mistook his tone as serious and solemn. "You make it sound like we left everyone behind…" She said looking sad. She was thinking about them again. Her eyes started to look watery.

His eyes widened. He wasn't good at dealing with these kinds of situations! His eyes darted around, as if looking for help. Finding none, he did what seemed natural to do.

"Don't pull that face." He said pulling at her cheeks, trying his best to comfort her. "You look a lot uglier than you usually are when you do, by the way." He couldn't help it.

"I wouldn't if you weren't such a jerk!" She shouted at him while punching him in the arm, anger replacing sadness.

"You hit like a girl!" He rubbed his arm in mock pain.

"I am a girl, stupid!"

"Really? Goddess! I never noticed!" He ducked as a walnut was thrown at him. "Hey! You could've hit m—oof!" He was hit by a mushroom.

Now, she was getting violent. At least she didn't look like she was on the brink of tears anymore. He preferred angry and strong than crying and miserable. He could handle it better.

The lass on the other hand, was purely aggravated. She just wanted them to get along. But, no! He just had to ruin everything!

They continued to bicker as the two mayors watched them. The young female kept throwing things as the young man ducked and dodged. They went on for a few minutes, each one saying taunts to the other.

"I can't stand your face!"The girl spat. Slightly true. Partially false.

"I can't stand your carelessness!"He returned. Partially true. Slightly false.

"Fine, if you can't stand me than just go away!" She yelled stomping towards the two mayors. "I've decided. I choose Bluebell."

"If you're gonna act that way, then two can play at that game. I pick Konohana!" He walked towards Ina. He knew he was acting childish, he knew it wasn't helping the situation, but still, he had no other ideas how to deal with this. Choosing opposing towns might be the best option, since they both wanted to try a new way at living. And currently, they weren't exactly in good terms with each other.

"So, what are your names?" The two mayors asked then glared at each other for speaking at the same time.

"My name is…" The young man glanced at his companion, his eyes speaking a secret message. "…Phillip. I guess I'm the new guy."

"And I'm…" She also glanced at him, "Lillian. I'm looking forward to staying at Bluebell." She said, standing in front of the mayor with only one shoe on, since she threw her other shoe at her friend-turned-rival.

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><p>AN: So, what do you think? I hope it wasn't confusing. I did my best with this chapter. Sorry for the mistakes and if you thought the characters acted childish, or out of character. Their personalities will be more in development in the future chaps! I tried to make this more…humorous, I guess. I kept it fairly short since I was in a bit of a rush. I will probably update real soon, regardless of how many review! Coz I hate leaving something unfinished. Soooo…

If you've got something to say, go ahead and review or PM me. ^_^

THANKS FOR READING! GO READ CHAPTER TWO!

-rain stops goodbye-


	2. Chapter 2: Change of Plans

A/N: Ok, so here I am with the second chapter. To everyone who read the first chapter: THANK YOU! You don't know how happy I am that people actually give some of their time to check out my fic! It makes me feel good ^_^ A very big thank you to Blood-red Moonlight for being my first reviewer!

I'm gonna stop now! I present the second chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon.

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><p>CHAPTER 2: Change of Plans<p>

Lillian stood in front of Rutger with a determined face. She was well aware that she looked ridiculous; purely a mess. Covered in dirt, hair messed up, one shoe, clothes ruined and all. But she stood firm. She was trying her best to ignore the fact that Phillip was now her 'rival'.

Phillip was such an insensitive guy.

He isn't a mean spirited person or anything remotely close to that. In fact, he was actually a decent guy. He just has some issues. Lillian had her own problems. But she told herself that she would wipe the slate clean and start over. Didn't Phillip also say the same thing?

Phillip and Lillian promised each other that they would always be a team.

Phil 'n' Lil.

It was a blurry and vague promise. Forged late at night while riding a train. With only Lillian speaking and Phillip bobbing his head, trying to stay awake. But a promise is a promise. And Lillian had never liked the idea of breaking a promise. No matter how small it was.

It gnawed at her that she was doing it this very moment. She blew her top off and was a tad bit high prided to put it back on. She didn't like that about herself.

Sure, pride is good for self preservation and dignity.

But Lillian knew that when it came to friends, pride never gets you anywhere. She was sorely reminded why she acted the way she did when Phillip said that they were running away. He struck a nerve. It was wrong of her to be so spoiled. Despite their frequent clashing, Phillip had always helped her when she needed it most...

Even though she was aware of this, she still felt like being mature and patching things up right away felt wrong at the moment. Something in her told her to let things flow. To react to stimuli. To be honest and go with gut feeling.

"Lillian, eh? Lovely name! You befit the image of what my town represents. Come now, let us go to Bluebell!" Rutger started towards the path to the left. "It was nice meeting you, Phillip." The boy merely nodded in response. The mayor of Bluebell went on, not even bothering to bid farewell to Ina.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Ina. See you around!" Lillian smiled at Ina before following Rutger.

"Hey!" Phillip called out.

"What do you want now? I'm not changing my mi—ack!" She exclaimed as something was thrown at her face.

Her jacket.

Lillian glanced at Phillip. She hoped that he would say something comforting like;

'_Make sure to stay out of trouble. I'll see you later.'_ Or _'I hope you understand that we're still friends.'_

"You'll need it when the weather turns cold." Phillip stated simply, walking away with Ina to the path towards Konohana. Not even taking a single glance back at her. It made her feel sad. As if he was walking away from her and never coming back.

"Y-yeah. Right." Lillian chided herself for stuttering. She stared at Phillip's retreating back and sighed before going her way.

She shouldn't feel this way. After all, they weren't particularly close. But she knew.

She knew that during the short time they have been in each other's company that a bond was formed. They were friends. ARE friends. This squabble they had was merely a mild slip in their relationship. They would make up right?

_Why am I even thinking about this? I'm stressing over this way too much._ Lillian thought with a sad look.

It was his fault why she reacted angrily. He should have put more stock in his thought process. Any self-respecting person would be angry if they heard his tone.

And yet she couldn't help but be upset about the fact that her only friend in this alien place was leaving her. She trusted him to always guide and be there for her as she would be as well. Because she was…..

Never mind.

_It's probably for the best. This way, we can both start fresh without troubling one another._

And so the two friends parted with frowns on both they're faces.

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><p>Lillian followed Rutger to her new home. As they were walking Rutger kept saying things about Bluebell; it's brief history, animals, flowers, horses, traditions and not to mention how good the townspeople were at cooking. Cooking, cooking and cooking!<p>

"Bluebell folks have the best cooking I've tasted since I was but a wee lad!" Said Rutger in one of his proud descriptions of his beloved town's culinary skills. Lillian could only nod in return. As much as she wanted to find out more about Bluebell on her own, she was dead tired and just wanted to rest. She could explore later.

They continued walking. After a while, the chatty old man suddenly halted almost causing Lillian to bump into his back.

"Welcome to your new home!" Rutger declared with a flourish.

Lillian looked around her new residence. Her home was a simple cream and peaches combo with flowers on the window sills and a sturdy looking door. She was silent for a bit…..this place is…..

"AMAZING! I love it! Looks like a cozy farm!" Lillian remarked with starry eyes. The simplicity and calmness of her new environment excited her. It made her feel…at peace yet invigorated. This is what she was hoping for! It looked like in was straight out from a fairy tale book.

"Haha, I'm very pleased you like it." Rutger chuckled at her reaction. "I'll show you around but first, what would you like to name your farm?"

Name? This got her thinking. Lillian wasn't very good at thinking up names. In fact, she avoided giving names or nicknames to things. She sucked at it. Her lips twisted into a grimace of distaste before responding.

"I have no idea what to name this farm. Can't we just stick to its old name?"

"You want your farm to be called Ol' McBeaver?" Rutger clearly seemed to dislike the name. Lillian thought he was joking, but the expression on his face was clearly serious.

"Ol' Mcbeaver? Seriously? Whoever used to own this farm must have been real old school." Lillian remarked, chuckling.

"Well, the person who used to own this farm didn't live in it. Only used it to grow flowers. So names were irrelevant." The mayor waved it off.

"Oh, I see. Then I guess YOU'LL have to name it." Lillian smiled at Rutger expectantly.

Rutger looked surprised, "Me? Why, that certainly is not my work to do. This is your home. You are entitled the honor of naming in of your own choice. Marking it as yours." He responded waving his hands at her as if to repel her suggestion.

Lillian's eyebrows knitted in deep thought. Sure, she wanted to make this place solely her own, but she was really stressing over the fact that the name she will give might ruin the whole lovely image of her new abode. She closed her eyes. She wasn't a whiz at words. HE was.

If only Phillip was here. He'd know the perfect name for it.

Lillian opened her eyes quickly. They were at a state of disagreement. They haven't made up yet. So why would Phillip help her at something as meager as naming a farm? Her farm, especially. He wasn't bitter…but he was a pretty high prided guy.

"Um, can you give me some time to think about it? I want to give this place the perfect name." Lillian requested.

"Of course, my dear." Rutger smiled. "Let's get to showing you around, shall we?" Lillian energetically nodded in response.

"This is your chicken coop. Your chickens will be kept here." Rutger said as he showed her a small edifice. "And this is your barn. Your sheep, cows and other animals will be kept here." Rutger pointed to the barn to the left of her house.

He then proceeded to enter her house. "So, what do you think? Your house only has the bare essentials. A bed, a kitchen, bathroom and a closet."

"I love it. I could do a lot with this place." Lillian stated, the gears of her brain already turning.

Rutger called out to her, he walked to her closet and pulled out some articles of clothing. "Here, Lillian, take these clothes. You wouldn't want to start out dirty and muddy, do you?" He handed her what seemed like a simple European style dress. It was a blue dress with puffed up sleeves and small ruffles. "That is a Bluebell outfit made with locally available materials. I believe that it will suit you well. Footwear such as farming boots and the like are under your bed." Lillian bobbed her head in understanding.

"Well, I'm sure you're tired. I'll leave you alone so that you can rest. But if you can muster up enough energy, why don't you check out the bookshelf? It will help you a great deal. Good day to you, Lillian and please rest up. Ta-ta!" Rutger waved goodbye.

Left to her devices, Lillian decided to take a bath. The books can wait.

The warm water soothed the tired muscles of her body. After properly rinsing herself from all the dirt and mud, she changed into the clothes Rutger gave her. After dressing, she jumped into bed.

It was really soft. Lillian smiled playfully and stood up on the bed. Though she was tired, she jumped.

And jumped and jumped on the bed like a little kid. "Ah hahaha!" She laughed, the feeling of change starting to spread through her body. It was thrilling. The thought of living all on her own in an unknown place where nobody knew her was a little scary but great! The sound that the springs of the bed produced felt like a welcoming cacophony to her ears. Finally, she stopped and fell on the bed.

Sinking into the comfy mattress, she sighed in satisfaction. She glanced at her wall clock. It was only nine in the morning. Having nothing to do at the moment, and feeling that her eyelids were rather heavy. Lillian decided to sleep.

* * *

><p>This can't be happening.<p>

It's not possible.

These were the thoughts that ran through Lillian's head as she looked over her friend.

"Lilly…don't worry. It's alright. Don't listen to them." He smiled comfortingly.

Lillian gave him a disbelieving look.

"Alright? It's not alright!" She yelled at him. "It was okay before, but not anymore. Now YOU are being blamed, too!" She frowned.

He just shrugged his shoulders. "So what? Let them talk and accuse all they want. I don't give a crap about a single thing they're saying."

But Lillian did. Sure, she was used to being accused of things she hadn't done, but this time it was different. They accused him. Not her. HIM!

And it was wrong.

He's her first friend here and all he ever did were acts of pure kindness. It seemed wrong to pin all those horrible accusations at him. It made Lillian feel that it should be her instead. But as usual, he was being the hero and taking all the blame for something Lillian knew was based on nothing but hot air.

"I know they're wrong." She stated, "But I can't help but be angry because they're saying all these lies about you! It just makes me want to wring their necks!"

"Haha, come on Lilly. We both know you would never do that. Let's just let it go, okay? If we show them that we're affected, more tongues will wag. "

"But..!"

She was suddenly engulfed in warm hug.

"It's really fine. Don't worry your pretty little head. I know that it will be tougher now, especially for you. But we'll make it. As long as we have our friends, it's all good." He said, his voice soft yet determined. "But thanks. Thank you for worrying about me, Lilly."

"No problem. And you're right. As long as we all stick together, it'll turn out fine. But I hate this. This whole 'doing nothing about it' tactic makes me boil. I don't like running away." She smiled strangely.

"We're not running away. We are simply going to make them see who we really are. Start anew in their eyes, so to speak. But we won't change. Why would we when we've got nothing to change? We'll just make them think that so they'll leave us alone." He laughed a bit. "And for your information lil' lady, starting anew doesn't mean that we're running away."

She nodded while smiling genuinely. She had such great friends. With them around, nothing could possible make her lose hope that on day everything will change.

He pulled away from her. "But promise you won't say anything to Carmen. You know what she'd say. She'd say I was giving bad advice and tease to no end for being sagely."

"Hahahaha, of course, I promise." She grinned before a loud thud sounded.

To her horror, she saw her friend fallen on the ground with his head bleeding. Above him stood the attacker, clutching a metal bat.

She screamed.

* * *

><p>"NOOOO!" Lillian screamed, jolting her awake from her sleep.<p>

Lillian whipped her head around her surroundings.

A dream. That's all it was. A dream.

Lillian panted. But, darn, it seemed so real.

A memory from the past.

Lillian took a deep breath before standing up.

Her legs wobbled a bit. But she steadfastly walked to the bathroom, turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on her face.

"Snap out of it, Lillian! It was just a dream! A dream! That all it was!" She told herself, looking into the mirror. Her face seemed normal.

Except her eyes were very wide. Her eyes reflected horror and sadness.

She turned the faucet off and padded back to the bed. She sat at the edge.

She shut her eyes tightly and shook her head.

_I can do this! Gotta shake off these vibes! _Her head was pounding. _What would Phillip say? _At that thought, her eyes fluttered open.

That's right. What would Phillip say?

'_Don't be such a pansy! Getting all shaken up just 'cause of that! I thought you said you were the woman of steel! Haha, steel, please!'_

He'd laugh at her for being so weak.

She'll show him!

Lillian stood up with renewed strength and pulled out a pair of boots from under her bed. She slipped them on and made her way to the front door.

Pulling it open, she stepped outside. A warm breeze greeted her. It was only noon. One in the afternoon to be precise.

Stepping outside, she glanced around her farm. It was beautiful. Just the mere sight of it soothed her. It wasn't spectacular or majestic or anything like that. It was simply…

Hers.

All her life she never thought she would have something that would be solely hers, without anyone fighting for dominance or proof of superiority over her. She had enough of that.

It was hers and it was wonderful.

But…what would she call it?

Maybe something like Miracle farm or Starry Sky farm or…

No way. Those names suck. She wanted her farm to symbolize something.

Maybe she could name it after one of her friends…

_Gah! It's too hard! _Maybe_ I'll come up with something tomorrow…_

Having decided that she could no longer go back to sleep even when her mind was already at peace, Lillian picked up her rucksack absent-mindedly. She slung it over her shoulders. She thought of it as needed in her exploration. She might find a pretty flower or something.

* * *

><p>Lillian walked out of the vicinity of her farm.<p>

The path she treaded on was surrounded by flowers of varying shape, size and color. The trees shed petal like leaves in the air, causing what seemed to be a rain of pink. Lillian was mesmerized. Her head kept whipping back and forth, taking in the whole scene.

Eyes moving about, her line of vision suddenly locked on a structure. And a huge bell.

It was a church. It had white walls and a purple roof. The glass stained windows reflected the colors of a rainbow. A fountain along with some wooden benches was situated at the left while a huge gold bell hung to the right of the church walls.

Lillian loved the look and feel of the place, so she decided to check it out. While she was heading up the steps towards the indigo colored and golden knobbed church doors, she spotted someone.

Rutger.

He was standing in front of a chest like box. Lillian stepped down and headed towards the mayor.

He looked as though he was counting something…

"MAYOR!" Lillian greeted loudly with a grin while walking towards him.

The old man jumped in surprise, but sighed in relief when he saw that it was Lillian.

"Lillian, my child, I'm glad to see you rested, but never do that again please! I'm afraid my dear ol' heart won't be able to take it if you do."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just wanted to see what you were doing with this…box thingy." She gestured at the chest in front of them.

"This is a shipping bin, Lillian. It's where you place all the items you want to gain a profit from. Be it farm produce or gathered natural resources. I'm sure it will be used by you a lot." He explained, waving around a cane Lillian didn't notice before. Its tip was shaped like a horse's hoof with wings. It looked a bit strange. "And I was just checking the currently placed items. None today yet…" Rutger commented.

"Ahhh. Okay." She simply nodded. She was about to say goodbye when Rutger suddenly asked,

"Since you don't look busy at the moment, will you come with me to town? I would to show you something."

"Sure. I've got nothing better to do anyway. Lead the way, please!" Lillian was excited to see what the town was like.

"Very well! Come along!" The mayor smiled happily.

Lillian was astonished.

Bluebell was a vision! It was like living in an old English film. It looked exactly how Rutger described it.

Once again, Lillian's head turned this way and that way, drinking in her surroundings.

She was glad she chose Bluebell.

_I mean, I'm sure Konohana is a great place, too. But Bluebell's atmosphere makes me feel different. A good kind of different. _She thought. She suddenly thought of her friend and if he was doing fine.

She shook her head.

Of course he's fine. He's Phillip, after all!

They've both been through a lot. They might not be best friends, but they shared a certain amount of trust. They always depend on each other before coming to this mountain. But now…

They have to live independently.

Lillian's thoughts continued to swirl around independence and whatnot.

"Lillian, look at this." Rutger called out, breaking her train of thought.

"Hm? Look at what?" Lillian stood beside Rutger and stared at wooden board in front of them. "What's this? A notice board?"

"Sort of. It's the request board."

"Request board?" Lillian repeated blankly. What did a bunch of request have to do with her?

"Yes. This board allows any villager to put up requests. The request can be basically anything. From finding something to delivering. Someone can even request a friendly visit from anyone if they are lonely and since this is a small town, everyone is like family, so no one feels scared of anyone"

Lillian took in this new bit of info.

Request? She has to follow orders even here?

"You mean I have to do these request?" Lillian asked.

"Oh no. You don't 'have to'. You can accept only if you feel like it. You don't need a reason to help folks around here!" He laughed.

Lillian smiled. "That's good. I don't want to be pushed to help someone." Lillian loved helping people. But she had her limits, too. There will always come a day when you can't help someone and Lillian was afraid of the pain and disappointment that that person would feel if that ever happened.

"Well, to be honest, I would accept many requests if I were you." The mayor remarked.

"Huh? Why?"

"Rewards." That simple word had Lillian spiraling.

"R-rewards? Really? Well, that changes everything. You sly dog!" Lillian laughed and patted Rutger on the back. "But don't worry. I'm sure I'd be in it for the rewards as well, but I'll help people only because I want to."

"Good, good." Rutger commented while rubbing his back. He muttered something about how the youth today didn't know their own strength.

"Excuse me?" Lillian asked politely. She heard what he had muttered about. She wasn't angry. In fact, she was happy.

Finally, someone acknowledged the fact that she wasn't weak! She always wanted to be athletic and graceful. But she somehow lacked the poise.

It's only a small thing but it was important to her. Lillian almost laughed at herself for being so cool.

"Ahem, anyway," Rutger cleared his throat. "I want you to try accepting a request. I've already put one up just for you."

"Really? Oh, okay, sure." Lillian went up to the board and saw only one piece of paper posted. She ripped it off the board and read the contents:

_Welcome to Bluebell! This is your first request from me, Rutger the mayor of Bluebell! Come talk to me for more info!_

Lillian looked up from the paper and turned her eyes to Rutger.

"Sooo, what's your request, mayor? Lillian asked curiously.

"Well, my request is simple. Go ahead to your farm and I'll catch up."

At that, Lillian headed to her farm without skipping a beat.

She perched herself on the fence and waited for Rutger.

"Sorry for the wait." Rutger apologized, entering her farm. He was tailed by two females. A middle aged lady and little girl.

Lillian left her sitting position to answer the mayor.

"It's fine. I didn't really wait that long anyway." Lillian placed her hands behind her back, "Um, hi. My name is Lillian. Nice to meet you both." She offered a bit shyly. Lillian wasn't exactly a shy girl. She's actually very outgoing and friendly. But you must admit that even the most confident person in the world would feel bashful at times. Especially in a place where she is a complete alien.

"Hello there. I'm Jessica. Nice to meet you, too Lillian." The older woman smiled gently, gray eyes shining warmly. Her short gold hair swaying with the breeze. She wore a traditional countryside outfit. Complete with an apron and a handkerchief on her head that acted as a bandana.

"I'm Cheryl! Nice to meet you!" The little girl loudly introduced herself, smiling and giggling with a childish flirt. She curtsied and giggled some more. She gestured at Jessica. "I help my mom out with some farm work!" The little lady did resemble Jessica in so many ways. Same eyes and same hair color. Although Cheryl's hair seemed more bright and lustrous.

"Pleasure to meet you, Cheryl." Lillian replied waving at her with a smile.

" I'd like to inform you that Jessica owns a ranch as well. If you ever need advice on raising livestock, go visit her. Her house is the first one you see when you enter town." Rutger supplied.

"That's right! Don't be shy, you can ask me anything." Jessica smiled at Lillian. "And to welcome you here in Bluebell, I've brought you gifts!"

Gifts?

The moment after Jessica said those words, a sound suddenly pitched in.

Mooooooooo!

Buck-buck!

Lillian, startled, looked behind Jessica and Cheryl.

She just noticed it now.

A cow and a chicken!

Lillian glanced at Jessica blankly.

"For me?" She tipped her head in the direction of the two animals. Jessica nodded with a big smile.

"Really? Oh, I couldn't possibly…but thank you so much!" Lillian said loudly to Jessica, jumping to wrap her arms around her in gratitude.

Laughter sounded from Rutger, Cheryl and Jessica.

Lillian quickly clamped her mouth shut and removed her arms around Jessica's shoulders, murmuring a small "Sorry 'bout that..." and another 'thank you' quietly.

"Haha, no need to hold back! You're welcome, dear!" The older woman laughed, while Cheryl giggled.

Lillian looked at them and said,

"I can really keep them?"

"Yeah, of course! But why don't you name them first?" Cheryl said.

Ugh. Names.

Again!

Lillian roamed her eyes around her. A name for a cow and a chicken, huh?

After a few minutes, she spoke.

"Okay, I got it! My cow will be named Winter and my chicken will be known as Minty!" She smiled.

"What nice names! They suit them!" Cheryl beamed.

"Ahaha, thanks." Lillian giggled. How come she can name a cow and a chicken easily while she is stumped when it comes to naming her farm? Lillian thought with a silent sigh.

After giving the proper ways of raising livestock and some tools, Rutger, Jessica and Cheryl headed off.

"Oh, by the way Lillian, make sure to visit often. I'd love to know more about you!" Jessica warmly smiled. "I'm sure my children would love it, too."

_Children? Cheryl has siblings?_ Lillian thought curiously. Before she could ask, the three had already disappeared.

* * *

><p>AN: So, what do you guys think? I actually finished writing up the chapters but school is unforgiving! I couldn't type 'cause of it…But I guess it's all good since I managed to update! I honestly put effort in writing this. Sorry if it's not detailed much. I felt that describing a lot of things seemed…redundant, maybe?

Anyway, please forgive my mistakes!

Give me your opinions!

THANKS FOR READING! :D

rain stops goodbye


	3. Chapter 3: Lost Little Lamb

A/N: Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed. I appreciate it a lot! My inspiration for this story is still burning strong, so I'll keep updating. To those who wonder about Phillip and Lillian's past; you guys will find out eventually. Just keep on reading, my dears!

Haha, anyway here's chapter 3!

Enjoy reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon.

* * *

><p>CHAPTER 3: Lost Little Lamb<p>

People often say that you should never procrastinate. Always do your work and finish it as fast as you can. Always be accurate and careful.

Those work ethics were rooted in Lillian's body. Sure, she dilly-dallies sometimes, after all, youth can never really stay still and focus on work for long.

Lillian loves to do work. But she has wants as well. She wanted to have fun and do as she pleases.

After Rutger, Jessica and Cheryl disappeared on her, she decided to explore town more. Half the reason being that she wanted to see town and the other half was that she wanted to meet the other Bluebell folks.

But before all that, she did her work, brushed her new cow, Winter, checked on Minty, her chicken and she fed them. She didn't want to come home tired and do work that she could have otherwise finished beforehand.

Lillian enjoyed the work, despite knowing that raising animals is a huge responsibility. She loved animals. She was initially worried about her horse, which vanished during that hazy storm. She asked Rutger about it. During one of the talk with Jessica about the proper way to raise livestock, he said that they had located a horse roaming around outside the village.

'_Don't worry yourself. He is in good hands right now. You won't get to see him yet, the poor horse sustained some minor injuries, but is being treated right now.'_ Rutger had told her.

She was very worried, but some of that worry subsided when Rutger reassured her that her horse will be running about as if nothing happened before she knew it.

Walking through the path towards town, Lillian hummed a cheery tune. It was only three in the afternoon. She was again astounded by the sight around her. So lovely and elegant. She thought about visiting that church she saw a while ago.

When Lillian saw the structure, she immediately went in, excited to meet the people inside. When she entered however, she was met with peaceful silence.

The church was empty.

"Anybody home?" She called out. No response.

She squeaked in surprise when she saw a woman standing in the altar. Upon closer inspection, she realized that it was not a woman.

"Just a statue..." She sighed.

She turned to the right and entered a room. Still no people. Only a rather well-kept room but no signs that it was inhabited.

"Where's the priest? If no one lives here, then why is this place so clean? The town folk must be really devoted…" Lillian muttered to herself. With a disappointed sigh, she left the room and proceeded to scan the rest of the church. It was a very beautiful place, exuding the aura of peace and tranquility.

Having been thoroughly satisfied with the examination of the church, Lillian exited.

She looked back on the edifice as she walked down the stone steps onto the short path into town.

Lillian was contemplating on asking Rutger more about the place when—BAM!—she was knocked down by the sudden collision with a solid body.

"Ahh!" She yelped, her bottom hitting hard stone. "Oww…" She closed her eyes, pain vibrating from her lower body.

"I'm sorry! Are you okay?" A boyish voice asked in concern.

Lillian looked up, her violet eyes meeting a lovely shade of grayish-blue ones. Eyes that held concern.

"Are you okay?" He asked again. His honey colored hair swaying, his light colored checkered hat slightly tipping along as he bended down a bit. He offered a hand of assistance.

"Uh, yeah. I guess so." Lillian replied, taking his outstretched hand. He pulled her up.

"Sorry about that. I didn't look where I was going." The guy rubbed the back of his neck as he apologized.

"No, no. It's fine. I didn't look where I was going either, hehe." She chuckled, rubbing her sore bum. She was lost in thought when it happened…

"I'm glad." He said in relief before bursting out, "Oh yeah! Can you please help me out? I'm looking for a friend. Can you help me find him?"

Lillian jumped in surprise at his sudden change of topic. "Um, okay. I'll help." She nodded hesitantly.

"Thanks, can you look around that area?" He pointed to a bunch of bushes. "I'll go look over here." He turned and walked into the other direction where the shipping bin was.

Lillian tipped her head to the side. Who is this guy?

_Looking for a friend? Oh well, might as well look. _She shrugged her shoulders and went to search in the area that he directed to her.

After about ten minutes of fruitless searching, Lillian asked, "Hey, he's not here! Did you find him yet?"

A head poked out from behind a tree. "Nope. Man, I'm starting to get worried…"

"Is your friend a kid or something?"

"Yeah, he's really young."

"Hmm, okay. Then that probably means he couldn't have gotten far. Where was the last time you saw him?" Lillian asked.

"Beside me."

"Uh-huh…not much to work with… but that's okay! I'm sure we'll find him!" Lillian smiled and proceeded to search other areas. The moment she turned around, she frowned. A child gone missing! Lillian started to get worried.

She continued with her search. She checked behind the trees and even climbed some of them, bushes, and any other place a kid could possibly squeeze in to hide.

Soon, she came across a dark tunnel. She cocked her head in curiosity and went closer.

Baahhh!

The sound made Lillian flinch back in surprise. She slowly went closer and preened into the dark tunnel. What she saw next made her jaw drop.

At the entrance if the tunnel, a small entity emerged.

A little lamb!

"Hey, you found him!" The boy said coming up behind her.

Lillian's head whipped around to face him. "THIS is your friend? A lamb?" She asked in great surprise. She expected a real child.

"Yes! I was so worried. I was making my way to the shipping bin to ship some stuff from the ranch when this lil' fella 'sneakily' followed me. I don't know how he got out. He's rather attached to me so I guess he managed with determination. I was so amused that I pretended not to notice then-"

"He went missing?"

"Haha, not exactly. We decided to play hide and seek. I kept looking for him and even threatened to not pet and talk to him for a week if he didn't turn up in the next five seconds. But dang, he's stubborn." He smiled fondly, patting the little lamb. "Bad, bad, bad! You've been veeery bad!" He playfully scolded the little guy.

The scene made Lillian smile with warmth. "Aww, that's so cute!" She cooed.

He looked up at her, eyes sparkling with appreciation and amusement and then glanced at his lamb. "Where are your manners?" He directed the question to the little guy who just stared at his master, puzzled. "You gotta introduce yourself to the nice lady!" Silence. "Fine, let ME do it." He sighed and turned his attention to Lillian.

"This is Mimo. He's happy to meet you!"

"Hahaha, well, happy to meet you, too Mimo!" She giggled. This young man was filling Lillian up with laughter.

The young man scratched his head. "Oh yeah, I haven't introduced myself. Haha, some manners I've got. I'm Ash. Nice to meet you and thanks for helping me look for Mimo. My mom would have kicked my butt if I lost him."

"No problem, Ash. My name's Lillian!" She beamed. This guy is amusing. So carefree…

"Lillian, eh? You must be that new farmer that mom and Cheryl talked about."

"Wait, so you're Jessica's son?" Jessica did talk about having an older son or something like that.

"Yep, in the flesh." Ash grinned. His grin was very infectious. "Sorry I didn't get to meet you earlier. I was really busy. But I'm glad we got to meet now!"

"Haha, me too. I'm happy to meet you and Mimo." She glanced at the tunnel. "Sooo, Ash."

"Yeah?" While petting Mimo, Ash cocked his head to one side. Lillian found it to be a cute gesture. She blushed a light pink. She found his energy invigorating.

"Where does that tunnel go?" She pointed a finger at that dark tunnel.

"Oh that? Well, it originally led to Konohana."

"Originally?"

"It's completely blocked off now. It's been ages since anyone's walked through it." He explained.

"How did that happen? Was it an earthquake?" She inquired on.

"I'm not really sure. My grasp on the town's history is a bit hazy. All I know is that the feud between Bluebell and Konohana caused it. I don't know the exact reason. He scratched his head. "But it made the tunnel completely inaccessible, blocked off by who knows how many tons of rock."

_A mysterious tunnel, huh? So the towns used to be connected, but because of some unknown reason they began to fight each other and somehow caused the tunnel to be blocked off. How did it happen? I wonder why they even began feuding… _Lillian's eyes took on a thoughtful shine.

"Anyway, you- no, scratch that- nobody should enter this tunnel. It's dangerous." Ash warned, wagging a gloved finger at her.

Lillian almost laughed at his actions, but held it in, seeing as Ash was being serious. She nodded. Of course it would be dangerous.

"Heh, look at me, being all nice to my rival!" Ash suddenly chuckled, putting a hand over his chest.

Lillian looked at him, puzzled at his words. _Ash and me are rivals? Why?_

"Because my family owns a ranch, too!" He answered as if reading her mind.

"I guess you're right." She smiled wearily. Her eyebrows knitted in dismay.

Phillip is her rival. Konohana folks are technically her rivals because she now resides in Bluebell. "I've been getting too many rivals these days…" Lillian muttered in small voice. She grimaced. Lillian hated acquiring enemies or anything close to that. She wanted FRIENDS. Before coming here, Lillian didn't exactly have a stellar record at making good friends. Sure, she made friends, but most of them were 'fake' and thought she was weird and not worth talking to.

"Hey, hey! I'm just kidding!" Ash said when he saw her face. "You know you can always count on me to help you out! Same goes for my mom, Cheryl and all the folks in Bluebell!" He added sincerely.

"Thanks Ash. I know you didn't mean it that way. It's just that I…like getting along well with people. I've kinda felt out of place for most of my life. It feels really good to be with friends." The grimace faded as she smiled slightly. Ash noticed the sorrow in her eyes.

Ash stared at her for a while. He looked as if his mind was turning round and round, weighing the proper words that should be said. After a full minute, he spoke.

"Yeah, it feels great! This whole town practically thrives because of friendship. We can't live without one another. I don't know how people can be ignorant of you. You're a nice person. In my opinion, having you as a friend would be a wonderful thing. So would you do me the honor of being your friend, Lillian?" He smiled cheerfully. Lillian stared at him momentarily before breaking into a huge smile of happiness.

"It would be my honor!" She nodded energetically and laughed. Ash laughed along with her.

"Well, its time I got back home. I still have to herd back the animals into the barn. Want to come along with me?" He asked.

"Sure, thanks. I was planning on heading there to see more of the town anyway." Lillian replied, following Ash.

Ash stopped in front of the shipping bin and pulled along a cart. "This is what I use for deliveries and stuff." He said when Lillian looked at him with curios eyes. Ash pulled the cart along as they walked into town, Mimo was sitting in the cart, eyes darting around. Ash put him there to avoid any more attempts of him playing hide-n-seek. Lillian giggled.

"What's so funny, Lillian?" Ash turned his head around to face her. Mock hurt on his face.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just think Mimo's cute. He looks like a prisoner in that cart, haha!" Lillian giggled some more.

Ash smiled crookedly. "Well, that's okay. But don't you feel sorry for him! He deserves this for sneaking out to follow and for hiding."

"Got it." Lillian saluted. She couldn't help but be happy. Ash is such a nice guy…

"Well, this is where I live. See you around Lillian!" Ash crowed cheerfully, waving goodbye.

Lillian took on a sad face. She didn't expect to part with her new friend so quickly. "Uh, yeah. Bye…" She nodded half-heartedly.

"You wanna come in?" Ash said when he saw her face. He seemed to be the type of guy that hates seeing a lady sad.

Lillian's eyes widened in surprise. "What? I…no thanks!" She replied quite loudly, waving her arms around.

"Okay, if you're sure…" Ash said with one brow raised.

Lillian did want to come in. But she remembered that she wanted to meet the other folks. Seeing Jessica and Cheryl was alright, but she didn't want to appear too needy of their company and help. Besides, she wanted to meet more folks. Meeting Ash was great and he said that all the Bluebell residents were just as nice. So she was excited to meet them. She only wished Ash came along, so that breaking the ice would be easier, seeing that he seemed to know everyone really well. But she didn't want to ask him to do that, she felt way too embarrassed and shy. She just met the man for heaven's sake!

"Yeah, I'm sure. I'll you around!" She waved. Ash gave her a big smile and waved back heartily before going in.

After Ash went into his house, Lillian scanned the square for any person. The first thing that her eyes landed on was a person who was sticking up a request on the request board.

Lillian walked up behind said person and tapped her gently on the shoulder, "Um, Hi there…" The young lady turned around to face her, Lillian's violet orbs meeting golden ones.

The girl had wavy copper colored hair. A cross between orange and rust. Her perfectly arched eyebrows raised a teensy bit. This action prompted Lillian add,

"G-good afternoon…?" It sounded like a question.

Whimsical laughter erupted from the girls lips, "Oh, well, hello there!" She greeted with an accent. It sounded like a spoonful of honey was in her mouth, thick and sweet. "My name is Georgia, wonderful to meet you and may I ask your name?"

Georgia's reaction gave Lillian a positive vibe, "Nice to meet you! I'm Lillian. I'm new here." She beamed.

She smiled back, "I see. You are the new rancher, correct?"

"Uh-huh." She nodded vigorously. A new friend!

"Of the…er, sorry, but what's your farm's name again?" She tilted her head slightly.

"Oh, um…Actually, I haven't named it yet…I just can't come up with a good one." Lillian stated sadly. Lowering her head, embarrassed.

Georgia nodded her head in understanding, "I know. I felt that way when I got my first horse. It seemed like whatever name I chose just wouldn't fit. But don't worry, it usual strikes you when you least expect it. I got the name Dakota while I was putting salt on my dad's omelet one morning and it struck me as the perfect name!" She said with animated eyes. Her right hand was still holding up a corner of the request she was posting while her left moved as she told her tale.

"You shouldn't really worry about it." She added.

"Yeah, you're right." Lillian smiled. She decided it was time to change the subject. "Anyway, what's that you're posting?"

"Oh, this, well, as you can see, it's a request." Georgia said, turning her attention back to finishing up posting her request. "Why, are you interested in taking it up?" She asked jokingly.

To Georgia's surprise, Lillian casually nodded. "Sure, no problem!"

Georgia put her hands behind her back and cocked her head, a small smile on her lips, "Hey, I was just joking. I don't really want you to do it. We just met after all. I don't want to be overbearing…"

Lillian shook her head. "You won't be! I want to do this. Think of it as a…first-meeting-and-becoming- friends-gift. I want to do you a favor. And besides, this will give me something to do!" She said with conviction. She truly wanted to do Georgia a favor. Jessica and Cheryl were both female, but the former seemed more like a mother figure while the latter hardly seemed like the type Lillian could go to if she had problems, after all, Cheryl is still a child. They were both her friends, but Georgia is technically her first girl friend. A possible BBF or something like that.

"Haha, really? Well, I'd hate to turn down someone's kind offer. Thank you kindly." Georgia clapped her hands together, smiling warmly.

"My pleasure! So what's your request?" Lillian asked pleasantly.

"Alright. It's rather simple. Do you partake in bug catching? Are you scared of bugs?" Georgia questioned with a grin.

Bug-catching?

"Uh…No, I'm not freaked by bugs. And yeah, I guess I partake in catching them. A bit." Lillian responded.

_If you call crouching deep into shrubs and bushes and getting your bum dirty a lot to catch the little critters just for fun a bit. _She thought with a grin.

"Ah, that's good. You see, I want a certain bug. I want you catch a butterfly for me. A Small White." Georgia explained. She reached for a bag that was sitting next to the board. She took out a small cage for bugs. "Here, after you catch one, put the butterfly in this." She said, handing it to Lillian.

Lillian took it and placed it into her rucksack. "Okay. So where can find that kind of butterfly?"

"It shouldn't be too hard to find. It's fairly common and you can find some fluttering about almost anywhere around the mountain. As its name suggest, it's small and white."

"I kinda figured that." Lillian chuckled.

"Hehe, yes. It's so obvious." Georgia agreed before saying with a serious face, "Are you sure you want to do this for me? I mean, you don't have to. You are new here. And we're already friends."

"Don't worry, Georgia. It's fine with me, promise! I can handle at least this much." Lillian assured her.

"Well, if you're sure… Good luck and thank you kindly in advance."

Lillian hummed in response before turning around towards the path leading into the mountains. She felt thrilled to get a chance to explore the mountains. This will be fun!

* * *

><p>"This is not fun. At all."<p>

She had already found the butterfly she needed and put it inside the cage, but that was hours ago. She was somewhere in the mountain. The sun had set a long time ago and now it was dark. The crescent moon in the night sky outlined the shape of the trees and rocks. But that wasn't the worst part.

She was lost.

In the mountains.

Alone.

Lillian's legs were as hard as tree stumps. This was the last thing she expected to happen. After finding the Small White she decided to head home but realized that she lost track of the trail she was taking. So here she was.

WHOO! WHOO!

"EEEKKKK!" She shrieked in fear. What the heck was that? Lillian took nervous glances all over her immediate surroundings.

_Ahh. Just an owl._

Shhhrrrrrrr!

She jumped in surprise, "Gah!" She saw a tree branch swaying to the breeze.

_Alright, alright! This is getting silly! There's nothing to be scared of! NOTHING!_

But her whole body was trembling.

She decided to to do some pep talk, yet her voice shook,"There's n-nothing to be s-scared of! There's nothing scary here! Just 'cause those bushes look like faces…And j-just because a zombie, ghost, vampire, werewolf or that girl from the ring could emerge from those trees doesn't mean anything! I-I'm not scared! And-and-HOLY CRAP! WHAT WAS THAT!"

A shadow moved behind the trees.

There comes a time when you have to swallow your fears to face reality to clear up the scary things. This…is not one of them.

With every ounce of energy she had, Lillian made a ran for it.

And ran.

And ran.

All the while screaming for 'it' to stay away.

After a while of frantic running, Lillian stopped to rest.

Panting, gasping and sweating beyond belief, she leaned onto the tree for support. She looked behind her and saw nothing. She heaved a sigh of relief.

"I thought I was a goner…" She said to herself. Her feet hurt. In fact, her whole body ached. But she has to find a way home. She has to.

Dragging herself forward, Lillian forced her body to move. After taking five steps, both her feet caught onto a deep burrow in the rocks, she tried to take it out but it was stuck, she heaved her legs forcefully , but the sheer force made her body fall forwards into the air, then her boots slipped off her feet and she fell onto the edge, falling into darkness.

Lillian rolled down the steep mountain side. She gasped, landing on her back. Her entire body lay still as pain speared through her.

_I always thought that falling from a cliff would look all dramatic and I'd land on soft grass. That is not the case. This HURTS!_

After a long time, Lillian pushed herself up into a sitting position.

She looked up. She fell from quite a height. As she rubbed her back, Lillian thanked her lucky stars that she didn't break anything. Now, she has to get back up the small cliff.

She stood up and made her way to the wall of the cliff, her bare feet making small noises. She winced when she stepped on a rock. The cliff side was all dirt and the rocks were positioned near the top. Even though she was no climber, Lillian realized that she could not scale the wall this way.

She looked around for something to use. Nothing. There was only a few trees, bushes, small rocks and a strange looking mushroom in the area.

Lillian deeply frowned and sighed.

"Now what do I do?" She asked no one, hopeless.

Deciding she couldn't do anything right now, she leaned her back against a tree and sank down onto the ground. All she could do right now was rest.

She's lost late at night, aching all over and alone.

She was alone.

Holding back tears that threatened to surface, she looked at the moon.

* * *

><p>AN: I'm sorry for taking such a long time to update! I was really busy, but it's fine now. Anyway, this chapter is a little short. Again, sorry if there are any mistakes. Thanks to those that reviewed my previous chapters: Blood-red Moonlight, 2oo92, Lizzie, HarvestMoon Lover, and Strikes too lazy to log in and to all those that took time to read!

How was Lillian? Haha, I actually love her; helpful, curious and cheery. I made her act as such because that is how I perceive her to be like.

Thanks a bunch!

Thanks for reading!

_rain stops goodbye_


	4. Chapter 4: Different

**A/N**: I'm really sorry! I took so long…I know how it feels like waiting for an author to update while said author is taking her sweet time. Please forgive me. I'll try to be more active in updating.

Here it is; the fourth chapter!

ENJOY!

* * *

><p>CHAPTER 4: Different<p>

Phillip was not a happy camper.

Shortly after parting with his female companion and the lively mayor of Bluebell, his calm demeanor shifted into one of irritation.

Why did that girl have to be so sensitive and hard-headed at the same time? He gave a barely audible sigh.

With sharp ears, Ina did not miss this sigh and was surprised to see the lad with an irritated expression.

"Is there a problem, Phillip?" She asked with concern.

Phillip glanced at the mayor.

He looked away. "No. No problem whatsoever, Miss Ina." Did he really look that irritated?

Ina's eyebrows furrowed in concern as Phillip slowly met her eyes. He blinked a few times.

Was he that obviously upset?

The older woman almost laughed at the face he pulled; as though he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Just Ina is fine." She smiled.

Phillip gave a small smile. He felt a bit uncomfortable addressing someone he just met with such familiarity. A thought that he should get used to it ran through his mind; after all, their culture and traditions are different and being openly friendly and trusting to strangers seemed to be normal for them. Phillip decided that he must adopt their way of life to fully enjoy the experience of living in Konohana.

Despite that, he still felt uneasy. He was raised to be quite formal to others…but he'll just have to adjust.

The young man was taking a bit too long to respond so Ina decided to add, "And don't worry; I understand what you're going through." The Mayor of Konohana stated after noticing a certain emotion flit across the young man's face. She wasn't entirely sure what it was, but she was certain that it was something akin to distress.

Phillip adopted a look of confusion. Understand what he's going through?

"It must be tough to be apart from such a cute girlfriend." Ina nodded sympathetically. "Why, I remember when my husband-"

"Girlfriend?" Phillip blurted out along with a puzzled and surprised look across his face. He doesn't have a girlfriend.

Surely she didn't mean…

"Hmm? Yes, Lillian seems to be a very sweet girl, getting worried about you and all." She answered casually. "You must miss her a lot already." She nodded to herself with all seriousness.

Phillip took a step back and his eyes widened. "Lillian's not my girlfriend!" He denied loudly, blushing a very light shade of pink.

Ina frowned. "Oh, is that so? Well, you two seemed rather close." She commented.

The thought-!

"Well, yes, we know a bit about each other, but we're not close," He began mildly, trying to quell his embarrassment from being flustered at such a small thing. He didn't want to look like some ill-mannered and immature man who fights with a girl who is seen as his 'girlfriend' and leaves her for another town. And besides, he doesn't have time for women. She's just a childish girl. She's not a woman, period. "So that's not the case at all!" He added hastily.

Ina tried to hold her laughter back. "You are quite adamant in your denial. You almost sound defensive." Ina smiled slyly.

"I'm not being defensive at all!" Phillip declared, still blushing. But he knew it was futile. If there was something he knew well it was that first impressions last. They are almost always entirely wrong, but they last.

Ina just chuckled and shook her head. Ah, youth.

After that exchange, the trek towards Konohana was silent. Ina didn't seem to be the type for idle chatter and for that, Phillip was glad.

He preferred the amiable silence, actually. It gave him the peace to think.

He suddenly recalled someone who loved to talk.

Ugh. He really didn't like how his mind worked at times. His mind somehow always ran thoughts he'd rather have later. Now was one of those times.

He thought back on what Ina commented on about his relationship with the annoying girl.

Phillip doesn't hate Lillian…He just couldn't stand her naiveté sometimes.

If you asked him if he liked her, he would flat out say 'no'.

If you asked him if he hated Lillian, he would say 'no', too.

He has never openly admitted his like for a girl, even if it's just simple affection for a friend. In which case, Lillian is.

The main point is; they are…friends. It's that simple.

It's because of this simple fact that Phillip followed Ina with a calm, collected air. He wasn't the type of person who thought too much about feelings and all that emotional mushiness. It was there, but that's it.

Nothing much to think about.

The only thing he had to ponder on was how to be a good farmer.

He wondered how a certain girl was coping with the same situation as him. Bluebell was the exact opposite of Konohana, wasn't it? He just hoped she wouldn't do anything like get herself hurt or something equally stupid because of her clumsiness.

He shouldn't be worried because she can take care of herself. She asserted the fact more than enough, but she is a rather sensitive and impressionable girl… But she chose to go her own way. He can't do anything about it except quietly fume at her childishness and stubborn will.

He suddenly stuffed his hands into his pockets as he scowled.

He has no idea why he's so agitated, to be honest. He just is.

He scowled a bit more.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Ina asked, noticing his distress once again.

'_Yes, I'm alright…'_ Phillip thought.

The situation wasn't terrible, it was convenient actually; He would live in a town where his curiosity and craving to discover more about different traditions and cultures of oriental locales will be curbed. Konohana is brimming with such authenticity, he's sure. He will experience the calmness, peace and uniqueness of the countryside vibe and the people he'll meet will be equally interesting. And lastly, he'll be able to live peacefully without hindrance.

It was a very good situation indeed.

But for some reason, he felt…frustrated.

It was that girl! That irritating wench! She had to make things more complicated. Why, you ask? Well, for one, she abused his kindness and hurled a lot of very solid objects at his head. It's a good thing his head was very tough. She also had the gall to enlighten him once again on opening a tale he'd much rather not hear anymore for the rest of his life. And she thought that taunting him by choosing a different town will irk him.

Pfft. Nice try, but no cigar.

He smiled a little. Yeah, nice try, Lillian, but there is no way he'll be stooping down to a child's level by getting affected that easily.

"I'm alright, Ina." He paused for a moment because he felt awkward just saying the Mayor's name like he knew her well. "I was just thinking about something troublesome." Really troublesome. "It's fine. Thanks for asking, though." He assured her with a grin.

Ina cocked a brow at the lad's strange mood but nodded all the same. "I understand. It must be difficult to part with your girlfriend especially when your last exchange was an argument." Ina smiled teasingly as she remembered the newcomer's reaction to her earlier statement.

Phillip retained the grin but didn't comment. It somewhat irked him that Ina still thought Lillian was his girlfriend. Well, to be honest, he just thought that Ina loved to tease others. Today, he's the victim of such teases.

"I'm amazed she got to Konohana in a rush. You two have never been here, correct?" Phillip nodded silently. "She must've kept running until she found me. I think she's a nice girl." Ina gave a nod of approval.

He smiled politely as he nodded. He almost wanted to groan.

What is it with people thinking that Lillian was an angel? Yes, Lillian is a nice girl and he was grateful that she went to such lengths just for him, but she was a vindictive force when angered to great heights. Phillip knows this because he has on more than one occasion triggered this force unknowingly and was an (according to him) undeserving victim of the girl's rage.

Phillip kept quiet while immersed in his own thoughts when he noticed that his surroundings had changed.

Before, he was surrounded by towering trees, but now, bamboo and breath-taking cherry blossom trees was everywhere he turned his eyes to.

Ina saw the awe on the new farmer's face and couldn't help but smile. "We are now officially in Konohana territory."

He could only nod. He was too busy taking in the scenery. The young man was quite impressed, actually; if this was only the entrance to the town, just imagine how Konohana would really be like.

"Welcome to Konohana, Phillip." Ina beamed proudly.

* * *

><p>The path continued on and Phillip saw an oriental looking house. He adopted a curious face.<p>

Ina saw the look on his face. "That's where the town blacksmith lives." She explained. "We'll stop by his place before heading to your farm. I'm sure you'll be visiting him often for the tools and such." The young mayor smiled at him.

The house looked like one of the traditional homes he saw in Architectural magazines. The simple wooden structure and tiled roof was refreshing. The shoji sliding door gave off a tranquil air, and he didn't miss the sign next to it that proclaimed that this was indeed the blacksmith's place.

He had seen houses like this in the past, but it never failed to put him in awe at its calm charm, and this is the first time he's been in an environment where it actually suited the tradition home. It was a bit strange to see a single rural Asian-style home surrounded by towering buildings that practically screamed modernization. It was certainly unique compared to the buildings and centers in the city. It had an air of serenity and its own brand of refinement.

"Good afternoon!" Ina called out.

A few moments later a rough and grumpy voice replied, "What, what? Don't you see that the shop's closed today?"

A shadowy figure could be seen through the paper screen and then the door promptly slid open.

The person that appeared was decidedly strange.

At first, he thought it was a child despite his voice because of his small stature, but that was completely thrown out the window when Phillip saw the wrinkles and aged face. An old man.

But that wasn't the odd thing about the old man.

The old man resembled a…panda. He had a hat in the shape of panda ears and was wearing a black and white ensemble. He even had black rings around his eyes!

Phillip found himself staring with wide eyes at the old man. He could one of those cosplayers he'd read about…but at that age…

He thought only teens did this kind of thing. He continued to stare as Ina and the panda man exchanged words.

An old man in a panda costume.

Maybe he's advertising his shop…? But a panda seems so unrelated to forging tools…

A mascot, maybe?

He just waved it off. Phillip decided that he's seen weirder things. He watched the Mayor interact with the older man.

"So who's the kid?" The old man asked curiously, directing his attention to Phillip, who stood still for a moment before responding.

He gave a polite bow, remembering that it was a way of greeting in Asian countries. "I'm Phillip, sir. Nice to meet you. I'm the new farmer."

The panda-gramps nodded amiably. "Phillip, eh? Well, the name's Sheng. None of that "sir" nonsense. Just Sheng is fine."

Again, Phillip felt strange because he was taught to always refer to someone older with respect. A "sir" was always required.

'_Adjust! Just go with the flow. I'll get to know them better and then the awkwardness will be gone.' _Phillip thought with a somewhat forced grin. He really felt uncomfortable, but again, adjust! Adapt!

Phillip nodded. "Sheng, it is."

"Where are you from?" Sheng asked him.

"The city. It was a great lifestyle and all, but I just didn't feel right living there. So here I am." He spread his arms to emphasize his point, all the while smiling crookedly.

Phillip felt a sort of weight leaving his shoulders at his spoken words. It felt good to talk about change.

The old man laughed, "I get what you mean! Things are really different in cities compared to places like this. Nothing compares. Life just isn't the same without pandas." Sheng suddenly bloomed into a wide smile. "Hey, you look like a panda lover! You can come by anything, boy!" He patted Phillip's back, which felt weird since the panda lover was very short compared to the young lad.

"Ahh, as long as I'm not busy, ya hear?" Sheng added, chuckling.

Phillip grinned. "Got it." He gave a thumbs up sign.

It was then that Ina decided to insert herself in their exchange.

She beamed, happy to see the new resident getting along with the somewhat eccentric blacksmith. But there was still much to do and she really wanted to get back on track.

"Speaking of busy," She began, getting Phillip's attention once again. "I have to take Phillip to the clinic. He claims to be fine, but I want to make sure."

Sheng nodded in understanding. "No wander you look like a mess! What happened? Tumbled down the mountain?" The old man laughed with humor, but Phillip heard the concern in his voice.

"Something like that. But it's nothing serious, really." Phillip answered casually.

Ina turned to face the lad with a brow raised. It may not seem serious but…

"Better safe than sorry, Phillip. We should have a doctor check on you." Ina stated with a stern face.

Phillip was grateful for the concern, but he honestly thought that he was completely fine. A medical examination wouldn't hurt, though…

"Alright." He agreed half-heartedly. Behind him, Sheng was snickering at Phillip's response. "Can I please put myself in order first?" He gestured at his dirty overalls and muddy state.

"Of course you can. Well, good day, Sheng." Ina nodded to Sheng and the panda-lover composed himself in time to respond in kind.

"I'll see you around, Sheng." Phillip grinned despite the prick of unease at addressing a new face so familiarly and went to follow Ina who had already began to walk away.

As the two continued on the path that led into town, Phillip thought about what his new home would be like. He wasn't really expecting much, but he didn't mind if it was nothing fancy; he just wants a home for himself.

He noticed another house but this time Ina didn't stop. She just said that it was where he should go to if he has some business with horses, dogs or cats.

A sudden realization came to him. "Where's my horse?" He asked.

Ina looked at him. "Hm? Your horse? I'm sorry, but I have no idea, but I'll send someone to look for it. Don't worry; the mountain isn't all that dangerous, especially to animals. I'm sure your horse will be fine."

Phillip didn't bother to mention that his horse carried some of his belongings. He simply shrugged it off and decided that he didn't pack anything that was horribly important. All he wants right now was a bath and a change of clothes. But where will he get some clothes? Maybe there's a shop...

The two kept walking towards the path where he assumed to be the way towards his new farm.

"Here we are, Phillip." Ina declared simply but with a proud smile.

Phillip roamed his new home with his cobalt eyes. It was nothing like his previous abode.

The small house was like Sheng's but simpler, with a thatched roof. There was even a small barn.

Not bad, not bad at all.

Grass and trees was everywhere he turned his eyes to and he felt humbled how something so simple could seem so intricate at the same time.

Ina walked him to the front door.

Ina turned to him. "What do you think?"

Phillip let his eyes roam his new home once again. "It's very nice and quaint. Seems cozy." He described.

Ina smiled, apparently satisfied. But it was true; Phillip found his new home simple but with its own charm.

"There's a set of clothes in the closet, but it's a bit dusty. Just dust it out. The water runs fine and…I think that's it. Do you need anything else?" Ina asked him.

At least he had a different set of clothes. Phillip shook his head. "No. Thank you. I can manage."

Ina nodded then offered, "I could show you around the town tomorrow, if you'd like."

"I think I'll just explore the town myself. Thank you, though."

"Alright, I'll be back later to take you to the clinic. Look around your new farm and get familiar with your surroundings. I'm sure you'll love this place." Ina nodded for the last time and turned to leave his farm.

Phillip took a quick bath and changed into the clothes in the closet. He dusted it out first. It wasn't dirty, just dusty, but he was sure that it'll be itchy.

He took his muddy clothes and dumped them into the large basin in the bathroom. He filled it with water. Doing the laundry sounded pretty necessary right now.

His mind quickly drifted to his cart. He really didn't pack anything valuable, but clothes were a must and he wanted them back.

He shook his head; his horse will turn up sooner or later. He just hoped that it wasn't hurt. Well, best not to worry about it right now.

All in good time.

* * *

><p>The moment Phillip walked into the town of Konohana, the first thing that entered his mind was; Different.<p>

He had been to places like this before, well, not exactly. He passed through places like this. If he was on his way to a specific destination, he would see the same scenery he was seeing now through the window. It was breathtaking in all its simplicity.

Soon, the two approached a two-storey edifice.

"This is the clinic, Phillip." She gestured at the structure. "Come, let's go in. We're burning day light!" Ina proceeded to enter with Phillip trailing behind.

Phillip expected the interior to smell like antiseptics and alcohol, but instead he was met with a very faint scent of flowers and incents wafting through the air.

Ina walked up to the counter.

A young man was sitting behind said counter, writing something down a notebook with intent concentration. He was so absorbed with what he was doing that he didn't sense their presence.

"Hiro." Ina called out in greeting.

The young man looked up, obviously surprised. He smiled apologetically, "Oh, Good day! Forgive my rudeness. I was writing some medical papers." He closed the notebook and stood up. He was of medium built and had brown hair, fair skin and dark eyes. He was wearing a stereotypical white doctor's attire complete with a stethoscope.

"It's alright. This is Phillip. I want him to be examined. I think he had a nasty fall." Ina responded, introducing the young farmer.

The young man named Hiro turned to address Phillip. "Greetings! I'm Hiro, Doctor Ayame's assistant. She isn't in, though."

…Such a baby-face!

He looked awfully young to be a Doctor, but Phillip decided not to comment.

Instead, he lowered his head and smiled politely. "It's nice to make your acquaintance, Hiro. I'm Phillip, the new farmer and resident of Konohana."

Hiro nodded, "Welcome to Konohana!"He smiled at Phillip genuinely. "Since you aren't bleeding or anything too serious, I will examine you. Please, come with me." Hiro went to the corner of the clinic and gestured for Phillip to take a seat at a chair behind the white curtain. A bed and a small table were also placed there.

"So, before we begin, can you please tell what happened? Before and after the incident, if you can." The young assistant asked, with pen and paper in hand, getting ready to write down whatever Phillip will tell.

Phillip thought for a minute before speaking. "We were riding in the mountain when it happened…" He began.

"Excuse me, we?" Hiro inquired politely.

"My companion and I, she's in Bluebell." Phillip answered.

"Alright. Please continue."

"We were riding in the mountain when it began to rain. Soon, it turned into a storm. I went to search for shelter…when I found one, my companion whizzed pass me and began racing to some goal." He paused thinking why Lillian did that. What did she see that made her rush like that? Phillip decided that he would ask her when he had the chance.

He went on, "I chased after her, and just when I was about to reach her, her horse suddenly halted and changed direction and she was flung into the air. I grabbed her and then it all went black."

Phillip then proceeded to tell him about how he ended up in Konohana, saying that he loved the unique culture and plants. He excluded his argument with Lillian.

Hiro listened attentively and wrote down important notes.

Then he proceeded to the actual examination, pointing a small pen light at the new farmer's eyes and checking whether his vision was blurry or if he was dizzy. He also checked for bumps and such.

All the while Phillip was thinking if his companion was alright, because that girl must have hit the ground when they fell, too.

That Lillian…so freaking reckless.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I'm ALIVE! Hahaha!

I loved typing this out and I hope you all enjoyed reading it as well.

The next update? Well, it won't take months, that's for sure…

Again, I'm sorry. Hope this was worth the wait.

I've always thought that Sheng looked a bit strange, wearing a panda costume and all, but you know, I've seen stranger things and it gives him a funny quirk! I love pandas!

What do you guys think about Phillip's character? This is how I imagined him to be like. He was pretty fun to write actually.

Thank you for reading!

_rain stops goodbye_


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